Herbal Womb Wisdom – Details, episodes & analysis

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What does it mean to connect with your inner wild woman (or wild womb)? 

And how can you more fully embody this innate creative, sensual, generative, wisdom-keeping part of yourself in ways that feel inspiring and unique to you?

It can be easy to look online at social media accounts painting with menstrual blood or embodying some fierce quality of themselves with animal hides and think... "that's what the wild woman looks like"...

But really, as wild woman photographer Vanessa Wingerath shares, it's not about looking outside of us for what others wild womb expressions are, but tuning into the unique ways YOUR being expresses that archetype that matters.

If you're curious to hear about Vanessa's journey to her "wild woman era" and how you can begin to engage with these parts of yourself too - through photography, circles, retreats etc - as well as HOW transformational this kind of practice can be, this week's episode is perfect for you.

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Grab links to any of Vanessa's offerings
• Free Womb connection and Clearing Guided Practice (22 mins)
• Episode 65: Grief & pleasure postpartum & beyond w Stacey Ramsower

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Navigating the whirls and twirls of perimenopause can feel like a wild ride. 

But amidst all of this transitional terrain, what if there was also a potential for immense power?

There is! And this is a lot of what we explore in this week's episode.

Business mentor and life coach Olivia Bowen shares about everything from how her births supported her spiritual growth to how her surprising entry into perimenopause catapulted her into prioritizing what really mattered and letting go of what didn't.

Her perimenopausal clients have affirmed the power inherent in this time too. 

She also shares about the map she's created of the chakras of business (which could easily be translated to creative projects of any kind) which reflects a comprehensive view of all the foundational elements of any successful endeavor.

It's such a cool lens to look through, and I hope you enjoy learning about it too.

A beautiful exploration in this time of thin veils.

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Grab links to Olivia's resources + offerings
• Start tracking your menstrual cycle to learn about what your cycle is telling you: Track Your Cycle Naturally
• Sign up for the waitlist for Natural Contraception the Herbal Way program!
• Episode 37: Easing into menopause
• Episode 188: Perimenopause the Ayurvedic way

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What herbs can help bring your bleed on? This is a question I've been asked in so many ways over the years.

Honestly probably one of the most common. And we ALL deserve access to this information. Especially in these... turbulent times.

I'm not talking abortifacients, I'm talking when you are still in your luteal phase and would be expecting your menstruation in days or weeks.

THIS is the most effective time to be working with herbs. And today's episode is a medley speaking to three key herbs to consider working with for this reason.

While these snippets are not purely focused on contraception, they all speak to how these herbs work on multiple systems and in more than one way.

Herbs are dynamic, and often have a handful or even dozens of relevant actions. Which is why matching plants to people is a practice. It's not just "this herb for that thing" but how and when and why and who. 

If you're curious to learn a little more about mugwort, wild carrot or motherwort, this episode is perfect for you.

Resources:

• Get started tracking your cycle: Track Your Cycle (FAM) guide
• Sign up for the Fall 2025 priority list here: Natural Contraception Fall 2025 waitlist
• Episode 7: Wild carrot with Mischa Schuler
• Episode 32: Motherwort love
• Episode 140: Mugwort herbal spotlight

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

I know, I know... Human Design?

What could a system that reads more like an astrological birth chart mixed with the I Ching and Chakras have to do with our sexuality or relationships?

It's a fair question, and one I had, too. 

But today's guest, Cara Dempsey, shares about how learning Human Design (and especially understanding what her "Sacral Inner Authority" meant) completely transformed her relationship with not only her wombspace, but also her menstrual cycle and her libido. 

Well, cycle awareness practices had something to do with it, too.

The truth is, she lost most of her sexual desire postpartum, she was living a life oriented to hustle and productivity and her body was feeling the consequences, and she needed help. 

Fascinatingly, her deep dive into understanding her energetic patterns through both Human Design and cycle awareness helped her to listen to her body in ways she never had before, and begin to accept parts of herself she previously thought of as weaknesses. 

And as it turns out, Human Design really does have a lot to say about how we may relate to our own sexuality, how we cultivate boundaries (sexually, in relationships, etc), and overall how we listen to our own selves. 

Whether or not you decide to explore it further, consider this an opportunity to reflect on archetypal energies - the inner authorities and energy centers especially - and how those may inform your growth into more of who you really are - beyond what society tell us we should be. 


Listen in to learn:

• what Human Design is and where it originated from
• how Cara's health transformed through learning Human Design + cycle awareness
• what the inner authorities are and the 6 types
• how learning your inner authority can support healthy boundaries
• a deep dive into the sacral and root energy centers and what it means if they are "defined" or "undefined"
• how Human Design can support your relationships and authentic sexual expression

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get a link to find your Human Design chart + Cara's HD decoder guide
• Episode 69: Cyclical archetypes w Em Dewey
• Episode 73: Cyclical movement w Tara Lynn Steele
• Episode 78: Your cycle superpowers 
• Episode 80: Cultivating receptovity
• Get on the Natural Contraception course (Jan 2024) waitlist here!

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What comes up when you think of your cervix?

Is it images of a sterile healthcare office where you're getting a pap-smear (and all the complicated emotions that come up around that)? The common concerns around HPV, abnormal paps and even cervical cancer can run rampant in our minds. 

So perhaps, thinking about your cervix brings up some fear or discomfort or grief... rightfully so. 

Or maybe it's a worry that your cervix may not be ripe when you get to 40+ weeks of pregnancy, because you know it's supposed to be softer and start to thin out and even dilate a bit before labor really gets going?

Hoping and wishing and praying for your cervix to do what it needs to do so you can birth your babe safely and gracefully into the world.

For most of us, THOSE are what we think about when we hear the word cervix. 

But the truth is, your cervix is MUCH more than just a place the baby comes out, or a place that can be affected by sexually transmitted infections. 

In fact, it's a place you can cultivate a tangible relationship with, learning to understand its signs and symptoms over the course of your menstrual cycles and beyond. 

This is not just some woo-woo idea, you can both touch and observe your cervix throughout your cycles to get to know how your unique cervix shifts and changes.

Your cervix is the entryway to your wombspace, the place where your fertile cervical fluid is created, a changing and adapting structure that responds to both hormones and your nervous system AND is a locus of some of the most pleasurable orgasms possible. 

It is not just something to feel fear around or indifferent about.  It's something to admire and honor and even... love. 


Listen to learn:

• what and where your cervix is
• about the cervical shifts and changes throughout your menstrual cycle
• how to find your cervix (with your fingers and visually)
• the unique ways your cervix plays a role in fertility 
• how your cervix is an indicator of your health
• why getting to know your cervix is empowering 
• some basics on cervical orgasms

Resources: 

• Today's shownotes: Grab some of my references on cervical recoil
• Episode 5: Are you ovulating? How to tell (+ why it matters)
• Episode 34: What if your womb was an altar?
• Episode 38: Your cycle is a vital sign
• Episode 64: Vagus nerve, pelvic organs + sexual arousal 
• Sign up for the Natural Contraception (Jan 2024) waitlist

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Stress, depletion, burnout, frazzled nerves, anxiety, lack of focus, spaciness, groundlessness.

What do all of these have in common? 

Vata. 

If you're familiar with Ayurveda, you'll know there are three primary "doshas," or collections of elemental characteristics that describe qualities of a person. 

But they aren't static. I think sometimes people get stuck in the idea that "doshas" are like a personality test. 

And while there are some aspects of that, from an Ayurvedic lens we actually have both our innate constitution AND the current state we're in. Which are usually NOT the same. 

We may be born super hot, active, and physically strong, but we may go out of balance by burning ourselves out after pushing  way too hard over the years and end up feeling high levels of anxiety or spaciness. 

Because that endless excess stimulation we've subjected ourselves to is constantly eating away at our reserves until we no longer have them and we collapse. 

It's a common story, really, especially as people reach their late 30's or 40's. 

And it's one (of many) example of how the elements inherent in Vata dosha (air and ether) can have an imbalancing effect on someone whose innate nature is not that. 

In other words, most of us tend to go out of balance in Vata at some point in our lives, and often we see the results in our nervous systems. 

Kristen Timchak, host of the Nourished Nervous System podcast, shares all about how Ayurveda counteracts the qualities of Vata dosha in the mind. 

She includes several simple practices you can start incorporating into your life if/when you feel your Vata going out of balance, and she shares about some indispensable herbal allies for this, too. 

Listen in to learn:

• the basics of Ayurveda from a 5 element perspective
• what Vata dosha is and how it relates to our nervous systems
• how Vata shows up in the seasons and times of day
• what Ojas is and it relates to nervous system health
• a few simple, quick practices you can add into your life to balance Vata 
• the basic recipe for an Ojas-building drink 
• a couple key Ayurvedic herbs that are essential to restoring your nervous system

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Kristen's free deep rest meditation + oil massage
• Episode 3: Ayurveda and hormonal health
• Episode 49: How to create a "sacred window" - Ayurvedic wisdom
• Get on the Natural Contraception course (Jan 2024) waitlist here!

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.

Click here to send me a quick message :)

I think many of us just accept the discomfort we have in our guts without question. 

I was talking to a client recently and I actively had to ask her if she ever notices any symptoms after eating for her to remember that she commonly experiences sharp pain in her belly and doesn't know why. 

The fact that it wasn't top of mind for her because she's just accepted that as part of her day-to-day life is indicative of how much we normalize digestive upset. 

Some folks have chronic loose stools, endless gas, bloating after almost every meal, alternating constipation and loose stools or even painful, sharp spasms regularly in their bellies... and they don't pay any attention. 

I had another client who told me she's had gut symptoms her entire life, and her mom has them too, so it's not something she even thinks of as a "symptom."

I want to call bullshit on this way of thinking. 

Our bodies are wisdomkeepers, and your gut is giving you information. Which is not to say that you need to wallow in suffering because of your symptoms, but instead that it's a good idea to start taking note of what they are, and when they show up. 

Herbs like relaxing carminatives can be especially helpful at easing some of the gas, bloating and spasms - and when we narrow in on the *relaxing* carminatives they are even more specific for times when you notice stress, anxiety or irritability in relation to your gut symptoms (which is exceedingly common). 

The gut-brain connection is real, so when you're having those digestive symptoms, you mood and mind will no doubt be impacted. 

Unfortunately relaxing carminatives won't get to the ROOT of the problem, but they can help your belly calm down and soften to ease symptoms along the way. 

And they can be worked with intentionally in times of increased stress (like the current global situation), or heightened anxiety (like perhaps holiday gatherings), or cyclic hormonal shifts that mess with your gut (like, say loose stools the first day of your moon). 

The better we feel in our bellies, the more steady and strong we can show up in the world. 

Listen to learn:

• what carminatives are and how to add them into your daily life
• when you would want to consider RELAXING carminatives
• how muscle tension might increase pain sensations (+ how carminatives can help)
• a basic overview of 8 relaxing carminatives (why, when, how you might use them)
• how to add some carminatives into your holiday meals (or anytime)

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get the links I mentioned in the episode
• Sign up for the Natural Contraception (Jan 2024) waitlist!
• Episode 4: Herbal Spotlight on Tulsi
• Episode 44: Bitters and hormonal balance
• Episode 58: Gut - hormone connection

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. P

Click here to send me a quick message :)

After birth, our bodies are especially tender and rather "blown open."

Not only has a babe passed through either your perineum or your belly, but your spirit has been expanded tremendously, too. 

And unfortunately, most of us have NO IDEA how to effectively tend "to the root of our bodies" as today's guest, MD-turned-holistic-midwife (and mother of 9!) Dr Rebecca Cohen describes it. 

We've all but lost the art of deep, replenishing convalescence that's so needed postpartum. Birth is a big experience, and whether it's physically, emotionally or spiritually - there's often a lot to integrate (on top of having a newborn babe)!

So caring for the tender tissues and the tender spirit in this liminal time can be incredibly supportive. 

There are many ways to do so, from rest, to easy-to-digest foods, to herbal practices such as vaginal steams, to sitz baths, to teas, to hands-on and hands-in care. 

And today's episode goes into all of this and more. 


Listen in to learn:

• how Rebecca went from conventionally trained MD to herbalist and midwife
• what "the root of your body" means (on a couple different levels)
• some simple practices to tend that part of your body postpartum
• Rebecca's favorite herbs for the postpartum journey - internal + topical
• why she considers vaginal steams a core part of holistic postpartum care
• how to know when to return to sex after birth
• ways to connect with your vulva and wombspace with tender love + care
• an invitation to offer yourself hands-in care to support pelvic muscle relaxation

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get link's to Rebecca's work + other resources 
• Episode 25: Immediate herbal postpartum care with Liz Philbrick
• Episode 43: Vaginal steaming with Julia Demillones Moore
• Episode 49: How to create a sacred window with Ashlee Sakaishi-Wilkin
• Episode 81: Deep restorative postpartum care with Rachael Hollinger
• Sign up for my Natural Contraception (Jan 2024) course waitlist!

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any&

Click here to send me a quick message :)

Oh, our hearts! 

I'm not sure if you're feeling it, but everywhere I look I'm seeing yet another person share about how they're feeling heartbroken, or how these times are heartbreaking. 

The collective field is full of grief, loss, shock, confusion, and meanwhile we're also all living our lives, attempting to go about our days "as usual."

When our hearts are so tender, it's essential to find ways to both feel our feelings AND tend our emotional and physical hearts. 

Have you ever heard of "broken heart syndrome"? 

It's a (usually temporary) sudden weakening of the heart muscle that is actually a form of cardiomyopathy. While it's common to recover in a few months as long as good care is taken, it's a true clinical condition that results from extreme stress, shock, or grief. 

I also remember learning (when I was getting endless cardiac testing years ago) that folks who are depressed are more likely to have heart conditions. And conversely that post-heart attack patients commonly experience cardiac depression - which is literally a melancholy that occurs after a major cardiac event.

I can't even count the number of times doctors and nurses in the ER and at my cardiologist's office asked me about anxiety and stress in my life. With unexplained tachycardia (fast heart rate) and no cardiac risk factors and an extremely health-centered life, they were all SURE my heart rate was psycho-emotional. (it wasn't btw)

In other words, emotions affect our hearts, and our hearts affect our emotions. The physical heart is not separate from the emotional heart. 

So it's important, especially in times when we feel our heart is breaking, to pay a little extra attention to our beautiful rhythmic center that keeps our blood oxygenated and flowing around our bodies. 

Instead of just thinking of "grief" remedies in general, consider what specific signs and symptoms you're experiencing - whether emotional or physical. 

From there, you can choose herbs and practices that address your individual needs. 

That's what this week's episode is all about. 

Listen in to learn:

• how grief relates to both your heart and your wombspace
• a little about the womb-heart connection
• why healthy estrogen levels in your body are important to heart health
• some practices for tending your grief, individually or in community
• herbal allies to support your unique expression of grief
• remedies for physical heart conditions that may show up with heartbreak
• how insomnia and and anxiety may be linked to your heart

Resources: 

• Sign up for the Natural Contraception program waitlist here!
• Free guide: How to track your cycle naturally (FAM)
• Episode 53: Honoring the loss - grief rituals +herbs
• Episode 56: Womb + heart connection?
• Episode 76: What's the deal with phytoestrogens

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so m

Click here to send me a quick message :)

What the heck is the mesentery? And why does it matter to you, anyway?

Okay, so I know not all of us are anatomy nerds, and we don't commonly get excited to hear about anatomical structures, but this one... well, it's worth checking out. 

Partly because it's deeply intertwined with all of your belly organs, partly because it has  an intimate relationship with your wombspace, and part of because it is the embryological origin of the uterus...

...but mostly because it has SO MUCH to teach us. 

And today's guest, somatic facilitator and author Abigail Rose Clarke offers an in-depth glimpse at the magic and mystery of this"queer" organ - not from the lens of sexual orientation or gender, but from the lens of hard-to-define as one or the other.

It's an organ that is both soft and strong, both holding all of our belly organs in and also allowing them to have the ease of adapting to shape and size as needed (for instance in pregnancy). 

She shares about how to locate this organ inside your body, as well as what it's made of, and why it took until 2016 for people to even realize it even was an organ!

We also talk earth connection, ecology, phases of our lives and how embodiment can support us in navigating what's hard in our lives, including current world events. 

In the end, it's all about "returning home to our bodies" which is also the name of her forthcoming book, which is on pre-sale now and comes out in January. 

Listen to learn:

• what the mesentery is and why it matters to you
• how embodiment practices can help you navigate hard things
• why the mesentery was overlooked for most of medical history
• the embryological origins of our belly organs, including the uterus
• how the vagus nerve relates to the mesentery
• details on why Abigail considers the mesentery to be queer

Resources:

• Today's shownotes: Get links to Abigails books, instagram and offerings
• Sign up for my Natural Contraception (FALL 2023) course waitlist!
• Episode 17: How stress messes with your hormones
• Episode 64: Vagus nerve and sexual arousal
• Episode 80:  Cultivating receptivity

If you loved this episode, share it with a friend, or take a screenshot and share on social media and tag me @herbalwombwisdom.  

And if you love this podcast, leave a rating & write a review! It's really helpful to get the show to more amazing humans like you.  ❤️

DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for educational purposes only, I am not providing any medical advice, I am not a medical practitioner, I’m an herbalist and in the US, there is no path to licensure for herbalists, so my role is as an herbal educator. Please do your own research and consult your healthcare provider for any personal health concerns.